Second Chance at Love(16)

Starr let out an exaggerated gasp. “Well, ooookay then. Just hang up on your two best friends.”



Walking into the kitchen where she’d left NJ and Autumn at their toddler table with a snack, Summer chatted away with Starr. Starr couldn’t help put to crack up laughing at what happened next. On the other end of the line, Summer, horrified, yelled, “Autumn! What are you doing to your brother’s hair?”



“Girl, what’s wrong?”



“Oh my God, girl let me get off this phone. This girl is putting butter in NJ’s hair. And he’s just sitting there letting her.”



“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” Starr fell over in another fit of laugher. She could hear her goddaughter’s cute little voice before the phone disconnected. “NJ said I could make him pretty if I let him have my cupcake.”





Chapter 9





Dinner with Dom, his parents and Zoe had gone extremely well. Janet put Karen at ease the minute she walked through the door by inviting her into the kitchen to help finish with the dinner preparations. Karen took this as a good sign. One thing a black woman didn’t do was invite you into her kitchen – unless she liked you. A woman’s kitchen was her sanctuary. It also didn’t hurt that the kids were well behaved and displayed their best manners at the dinner table. And to boot, everyone raved about how delicious her red velvet cake was. So yes, Karen was feeling pretty good about how the evening had turned out.



After dinner, the children asked to be excused to go watch Spongebob Squarepants. Janet and Karen had begun to clear the dining room table. Dominic watched his son as Dom’s eyes followed Karen’s every move. For several weeks he noticed how smitten his son was, not only with Karen, but her children as well. He hadn’t said anything to Dom about his attraction to Karen, but he knew he had to have a few words with him. His son was playing a dangerous game. And if he wasn’t careful, a lot of people could get hurt.



“Come on Son, we need to take a walk.” Dominic said as he stood, pushing the chair under the table.



Dom tilted his head to the side as he gazed at his father. From the tone of his voice it definitely wasn’t a request. What did he have to say to him that required the take a walk talk? Dom refused to revert to feeling like a teenager. He was a grown man. Squaring his shoulders he stood fully erect as if he was trying to lengthen his six-two frame. Following his father’s earlier movement, he pushed the chair under the table. “Let’s go.”



Returning to the dining room, Janet’s gaze fell on her husband, then on her son. “What’s going on?”



“Nothing, baby. Dom and I are just going for a walk.”



Janet lifted a brow. “A walk?”



“Yeah, a walk. We’ll be back in a little bit.” Dominic said as he nodded his head toward the door.



Karen eased up beside Janet as they watched the men leave. “What was that all about?” she asked Janet as she picked up a tray from the table.



“I don’t know. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’ll find out before this night is over.”



Karen tried to shake the feeling that she and her children were the reason for the men’s sudden need to take a walk.





Dom pulled up the collar on his leather jacket to stave off the night chill. So far he and his father had been walking five minutes and the old man hadn’t said one word. Just as he was about to clear his throat and ask his father what all this was about, Dominic came out of left field with the craziest question.



“Son, what are your intentions with Karen?” Dominic’s inquiry came across as non- confrontational. At least that’s what he’d hoped.



Dom stopped dead in his tracks. Whoa, where’d that come from? “Excuse me?”



Dominic stopped walking as well and pierced his son with a penetrating stare. “You heard me. What are your intentions with Karen?”



I don’t believe this. I know my pops isn’t trying to get all up in my business. “With all due respect Pop, that’s not your concern. Karen and I are both adults. Our relationship is our business.”



A wry smirk twitched at Dominic’s lips. “Son, it is my business if I think you’re going to hurt that beautiful girl and her children.”



Okay, again where was all this coming from? Dom’s parents never interfered when it came to his romantic interests. This line of questioning was totally out of line as far as Dom was concerned.



Clearly insulted, Dom clenched his jaw in anger as he demanded, “Pops, what are you talking about? I would never hurt Karen or her kids.”